Influenza continues to be active in Hong Kong, and many young children have contracted the flu and are in serious condition. The number of patients in the emergency department has increased by 20% in recent days, all of which are expected to be related to the flu. However, although we must prevent influenza, we must also prevent the resurgence of the new coronavirus disease, because the biggest difference between the new coronavirus and influenza is not its fatality rate but its sequelae.
Since the COVID-19 epidemic, the international medical community has been studying the causes of other medical conditions in some people who have recovered from the COVID-19, including cardiovascular disease, coagulation disorders, activation of latent viruses, diabetes, “COVID-19”, etc. The so-called “long COVID-19” refers to the continued damage to physical, cognitive and mental health for weeks to months after COVID-19 patients recover. About 15% of patients will develop “long COVID-19” symptoms.
Viral RNA can remain in the body for 2 years
The medical research paper platform medRxiv earlier published a preprint study without academic discussion, indicating that viral RNA can persist in the bodies of people who have recovered from COVID-19 for 2 years. The study conducted positron emission tomography (PET) whole-body scans (PET Scan) on 24 people who had recovered from COVID-19. The results found that lymphocytes – T cells in various tissues in the recovered patients’ bodies remained active for several years after being infected with COVID-19.
PET Scan is an imaging test. Through imaging after injecting a contrast agent, medical staff can evaluate the tissues and organ functions of people who have recovered from COVID-19, thereby understanding their normal and abnormal metabolism and accurately identifying the location of the lesions.
PET Scan helps medical staff accurately know the location of patients’ lesions.
The study found that the spinal cord, bone marrow, nasopharyngeal and pulmonary lymphoid tissue, heart and lung tissue, and the intestinal wall of the colon or rectum are all affected in people who have recovered from COVID-19. Compared with women, male survivors have a greater chance of having their pharyngeal tonsils, rectal wall, and lung lymphoid tissue affected.
Researchers believe that continued activation of immune status (T cells) is a potential factor that negatively affects the function of human tissues and organs. This may explain why some people who have recovered from COVID-19 have sequelae and may never even be able to “return to normal”.
The author says “maybe” because this study has not yet been academically discussed and verified, and has some limitations, including a small sample and limited related research. Nevertheless, for safety reasons, it is better to believe that the saying “infected with COVID-19 has long hands and tail”, not to mention that other studies have also found that COVID-19 and long COVID-19 may be related to damage to sensory neurons.
MIT: Damage to sensory neurons
In the central nervous system, sensory neurons are responsible for smell, taste, touch, pain and temperature perception. Damage to them by the new coronavirus may lead to sensory impairment. A recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States not only found that the new coronavirus can damage sensory neurons, but also found that infected neurons release viral proteins, such as spike proteins, instead of the new coronavirus releasing viral proteins.
In addition, individual COVID-19 patients may also develop immune system diseases, such as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), as well as sensory problems and other symptoms caused by mild blood clotting, including chest pain, palpitations, and shortness of breath. Echoing the MIT study, there is also a British study published in “eClinicalMedicine” of “The Needle”. This study related to brain fog also found that patients with COVID-19 will have reduced abilities such as memory, concentration, reasoning, thinking and coping, and motor control.
Influenza is a threat, but COVID-19 is even more terrifying. Both diseases must be prevented. It is the epidemic prevention season, so we must not relax.
Some of the pictures/videos/text in this article come from the Internet. If there are any source or copyright issues, please contact this website.
The preparations mentioned in this article are for discussion purposes only. Readers should not prescribe their own medicines and must consult a registered Chinese medicine practitioner.
The relevant contents of signed and/or unsigned articles published by “Economics” are the author’s personal opinions and do not represent the position of “Economics”. The role of “Economics” is to provide a platform for free speech.
More articles by Shi Jingquan and Wu Guoxiong›
2023-10-05 09:43:59
#COVID19 #hands #tail #growHealthy #Good #LifeHealthy #Good #LifeHealthET #Net #Mobile
